LASER SINTERING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATINGS AND DENSE METAL PARTS

摘要

A laser sintering apparatus and method for producing dense three dimension al parts and a surface coating are disclosed. The disclosed apparatus comprises means for delivering a stream of material to an area on a surface to be built up, one or more lasers positioned with their axis at an acute angle to the normal to the surface impinging the area of deposited material and causing the material to adhere to the surface, and means for relative movement between the surface and both the delivering means and the lasers. In the one laser embodiment of the invention the axis of the delivering means i s at an acute angle to the normal to the surface. Where a plurality of lasers is used, the delivering means is substantially normal to the surface. An even coating of material is thereby formed on the surface in all directions of movement. Dense shapes comprised of layers of coatings of material may thereby be built up. The material may be a metal in powder or thin wire form.